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v y 4'Sheets-Sheet l. M. V. B. ETHRIDGE 8v J. B. YOUNG.

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MAIL MARKING MACHINE.

No. 581,578. Patented Apr. 27, 1897.

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MAIL MARKING MACHINE.

Patented Apr'. 27,

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M. V. B. ETHRIDGB 85 J. B. YOUNG. MAIL MARKING MACHINE.

No. 581,578. Patented Apr. 27, 1897.

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M. V. B. ETHRIDGE 8v J. B. YOUNG.

MAIL MARKING MACHINE.

Patented Apr. 27, 1897.

WWW? UNiTnn STATES PATENT Ormes.

MARTIN VAN BUREN ETHRIDGE, OF EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS, AND JOHN BROOKS YOUNG, OF MON' lRFiAL, CANADA, ASSIGNORS TO AGNES D. OAR- ROLL, OF MONTREAL, CANADA.

MAIL=VIARKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,578, dated April 27, 1897.

Application filed July l1, 1896. Serial No. 598,910. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern: sion cylinders c and c (shown in Fig. 3) are Be it known that we, MARTIN VAN BUREN located, the former being in fixed bearings ETHRIDGE, of Everett, county of Middlesex, and the latter in bearings on a pivoted springand State of lllassachusettaand JOHN BROOKS pressed frame c2. (Shown in Fig. These YOUNG, of the city of Montreal, Province of cylinders are connected by gearing, so as to 55 Quebec, Canada, gentlemen, have invented have a fixed relation of movement.

certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- Near to the printing-cylinder is a vibratin Markinglllachines; and we do hereby declare arm c3, one end pivoted on hopper b2 at c4,

that the following is a full, clear, and exact and the other end is slotted so as to pass by 1o description of the same. the letter trip-arm d6 when there is no letter 6o This invention relates to machines for postbetween them, as shown in Fig. 7. The vi marking and stamp-canceling mail-matter brating arm c3 with its slotted end is also wherein the inail'pieces are dropped one by shown in Fig. S. This arm c3 is moved forone into a receiving-hopper onto a carryingward by a cam c5 and drawn backward by a belt which carries them to the timing devices spring ci. Opposite this arm c3 is a stiff i'lat 65 and printing-cylinders. The momentum of spring c7, which is limit-ed in its movements the printing-cylinders then passes the mailtoward the arm c3. By the inward movement pieces into packing-disks, which stack them in of the arm c3 it comes in contact with the order, the stack being supported bya sliding spring cT and -forms a stop for the letter and 2o block, which moves back to the extent of the holds the saine until the notch d in the print- 7o thickness of each mail-piece received into the ing-cylinder arrives at a proper position to stack. form an opening between the two cylinders A valuable feature of our machine is the c and c'. Then the arm c3 moves toward cam simplicity of its construction. It is durable e5, drawn by the spring c6. The Hat spring cT and capable of taking care of a large variety is not allowed to follow the movement of the 75 of work without danger of defacing or damarm c3. Thus an opening` is made, and the aging it. It is practically noiseless when in letter released moves forward into the notch operation,easily cared for, and can be readily d and against a timing-stop es, located at or comprehended and repaired by an ordinary past the center of the printing-cylinder and 3o mechanic. impression-cylinder, ready to be caught by 8o Of the accompanying drawings, whiehillusthe cylinders c and c' and properly canceled, trate the machine and form part of this specipostmarked, and delivered to the packingfication, Figure l shows a plan view of the disks d'. Stop c'S is pivoted to the end of a complete machine with hopper b' shown in rigid arm 0X. (Shown in Fig. l.) One end section. Fig. 2showsafront elevation. Fig. of said stop projects into the path of the let- 85 3 shows a sectional end elevation en line a; a; ter and the other end is supported by a flat in Fig. l, looking to the right. Fig. 4 shows spring cc, one end of which is made fast to an enlarged View ofthe printing-cylinder and the arm 0X. The normal position of the rightimpression-roll, the stop open, and the notch hand face of the timing-st0p 08 is at right an- 4@ in the printing-cylinder at a position to adgles with the line of the hopper b and h2. 9o mit the letter to be printed. Fig. 5 shows a Thus a thick letter may force back the stop full-sized plan of the lever F and the cam F4. e8 by the depression of the spring cc and pre- Figs. 6, 7, and S are detail views. vent tearing such letter. The arm c3 and the The letter a designates a horizontal table flat spring oT forms a letter retaining and auhaving a longitudinal opening occupied by tomatic releasing timing-stop. In case the 95 the horizontal upper stretch of a conveyerletter fails to start quick enough to get into belt l), forming the bottom of the hopper, the the notchl d of the cylinder c it is acted upon sides b' and b2 of which are erected on the by a vibrating roller d3, fixed to one end of table a. At some distance from the discharge a fiat spring, and the other end made fast to 5o end of the hopper the printing and impresan arm d4. (Shown in Fig. 2.) Said arm is 10o flexibly pivoted at c to hopper D2 (shown in Fig. l) and vibrated by a cam d5. (Shown in Fig. 2.) The roller d3 is pressed onto the letter which is against the vertical belt cl2, and the letter is moved quickly into the notch CZ in the cylinder c and carried through the cylinders c and c to the packing-disks d. The roller d3 is a permanent part of the machine and always in position to act upon the letter in case it is not advanced quickly enough to reach the notch d in the printing-cylinder.

Between cylinder c and d isk F7 is a letter trip-arm d6, the high part of which is pressed out of the circle of the cylinder c into the path of the letter by a closed spring d7 through the lever cls. This lever ZS and the arm which the spring d? is fast to are loosely journaled to a shaft, which is solid to the post (Z9. The two are connected together by a spiral spring` 5, (shown in Fig. 2,) wound around said shaft with one end fastened to the post dg and the other to the lever cls. Nominally they move together, but when the post df is locked in notch of lever F the lever d8 can be pressed farther by the vibrating arm c3 when there isaletterbetween said arm and letter trip-arm d, Lever d8, being under the influence of spiral spring 5, (shown in Fig. 2,) yields to the pressure of letter triparm d and prevents tearing the letter.

The levers F and F are pivoted at F2. Lever F has a fixed shaft F3, and on said shaft a cam F4 is loosely mounted. Lever F surrounds this cam and carries a roll F5, which is kept in contact with the cam FAl by a spring FG. Cam F4 has a shank that drops down out of lever F onto the disk F7 and is rotated by said disk, which is fast to the impression-roll shaft Fs in Fig. 3. This cam-shank has a slot in it and a roll studded t0 the disk F7. The slotted shank F9 of the cam rests on the disk F7 with the roll in the slot and the cam Vand disk move together, as shown in Fig. 3. The slot in the shank of the cam provides for independent movement between the disk and the cam center or fulcrum. The lever F has a connecting rod g and an adjusting-nut g. This rod is joined to a walkin g beam g2. (Shown in Fig. 3.) This beam is fulcrumed off its center to an arm g3, (shown in Fig. 1,) which is studded at g4 to the frame a and is free to move on said stud. On each end of beam g2 there are swiveled joints g5 and QG. Connected with gG is a rod gl, pivoted to the swinging frame c2, (shown in Fig. 3,) which carries the impression-roll c and disk F7 and cam F4, which is on a fixed shaft in lever F. Lever g3 has a round rod g pin ned toits end, on which beam g2 in Fig. 3 is fulcrumed. This rod has an adjustable stop H. Said stop is for the purpose of striking the frame so as t0 maintain the proper positionv of the fulcrum of the walking-beam g2 and limiting the action of the spring H, which is fast to the frame. Lever F also has a round rod H2 pinned to its end, and a spring H3 is fastened to the end of said rod and to the frame di can enter said notch.

d. Stop H4, set in the frame, limits the movement of lever F. The feed-belt l) is constantly traveling toward the printing-cylin ders c and c. The cylinders are also turning in the direction shown by the arrows, as are also the packing-disks d. ter is in the hopper to work the machinery, the letter trip-arm CIG and lever d8 and post di remain in the position shown in Fig. 1. The lever F is held to its inward limit toward the printing-cylinder bya spring H3. By adjusting the nut g, which has a right and a left thread, the rod g is made to locate the impression-roll c' through the beam g2 and rod gl. By shortening the rod g a thirty-second of an inch the long end of beam g2 is moved nearly double the distance. The impressionroll c is moved away from the printing-cylinder c and keeps the pad from taking ink from the marking-die. Thus the cylinders revolve apart. lVhile the machine is thus running without letters the arm cS is moving to and from the spring cT at each revolution of the printing-cylinder.

The end of the arm c3 is forked, so it passes over the high part of the letter trip-arm (ZG and does not move it or the post (Z9. Impression-roll c' and the disk F'7 are turning the cam F". On the face of the said cam there is a depression which imparts a movement to the lever F. Said cam being in contact with the roll F5, located on said lever, lever F being held by spring H3, all the movements produced by the cam FL must be made by the notch end of lever F. This movement takes place at every revolution of the printing-cylinders.

XVe will now explain what takes place when a letter is dropped into the hopper. The letter moves toward the printing-cylinders. If it approaches them out of time, or after the opening cl in the printing-cylinder has passed the center of the impression-cylinder, then the arm c3 will be closed to the spring c7 and the letter will be held until the opening in the printiiig-cylinder has revolved around so as to make an opening between the cylinders. Then the arm c3 is drawn away from c7 by the spring c and the letter is released. At this instant the intermittent roll cl3 pinches the letter onto the moving belt d2 and causes the letter to start quickly into the opening notch or space between the printing cylinders against a ti min g-stop o8. This operation times the letter to the printing device so the cancellation of the stamp will be assured and the postmark in the proper place. As soon as the letter gets into or between the cylinders then the arm c3 moves to close with the spring c7 and clamps onto the letter. The letter having got between the letter trip-arm d6 and the arm c3 the letter trip-arm d is pressed back onto d8, which causes the post do to move into the' notch on lever F. The depression on the face of the cani F4 allows the spring F6 to raise the notch on lever F, so the post The post dg is now When no let- IIO in the notch. The high point on cam F4 now comes in contact with the roll on lever F, which has its notch end resting on the post d. Now the lever F cannot move, so the cam F'l and its support, the lever F', must move back, F being connected with the short end of walking-beam g2. (Shown in Fig. This movement must tip the beam over the tule-rum g9 and push the impression-roll into contact with the letter, and the same be printed npon. By this operation the letter is postmarked, the stamp canceled, and the letter stacked by the disks d.

If there is no letter carried into the printing-cylinders at the next revolution of the same, then the letter trip-arm (Z6, lever d8, and

post du will resume their former position, reset by the spring d?. The post Z9 is ont from under the notch in the lever F, and the lever F goes on with its movements, while lever F has been drawn forward to its normal position by the spring H3. This movement of lever F tips the beam g2 back and moves the impression-cylinder away from the markingdie when no letter is there to protect it from inkin g and soiling its surface. In the printing-cylinder circle c in Fig. l is shown in dotted lines a square die K0, carrying type. A pin K is inserted into said die held in this position by a lever K with a spring K2 at its back. A spiral spring K3 is shown at the back of die K0, which pushes the die K0 out when the pin K is drawn out of the die K0, all inside and between the disks or tread of the cylinder. Then a thick letter comes between the printing-rolls, then t-he long end of the beam g2, which is tied to the impressionroll frame c2, must move back. This movement will canse the large spring ll to yield, and the fulerum of the beam g will move also on its pivoted end g4. By this arrangement thick and thin letters are provided for and properly handled.

By the use of the walking-beam g2 and the movement of the cam F4, applied to the short end of the beam g2, the impression-roll is moved away from the printing-cylinder a proper distance by the use of a very small depression on the face of cam F4, which is very desirable.

Having described our invention, we claim as follows:

1. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a hopper, a horizontal and a vertical carrying-belt therein, a vibrating arm c3, one end of which is pivoted to a rigid support and the other end is slotted and located so as to permit it to vibrate into the circle of the printing-cylinder and above said cylinder, means for vibrating said arm, a letter trip-arm, one end of which is loosely pivoted to a rigid support and the other end extends into the path of the letter and is adapted to move a lever cls, which is xed to post (Z9, a timing-stop, an impression-cylinder, a cam and connections for vibrating said cylinder, a continuously-rotating printingcylinder having a portion of its periphery out away in advance of the canceling-marker.

2. In a mail-marking machine, the combination of a hopper, a horizontal and a vertical carrying-belt therein, a vibrating arm c3 one end of which is pivoted to a rigid support and the other end is slotted and located so as to permit it to vibrate into the circle oi' the printing-cylinder and abovesaid cylinder, means for vibrating` said arm, a letter trip-arm one end of which is loosely pivoted to a rigid support and the other end extending into the path ot' the letter and adapted to move a lever d8 which is fixed to post CZ", a timing-stop, an impression-cylinder, a cam and connections for vibrating said cylinder, a continuouslyrotating printing cylinder having a portion of its periphery cut away in advance of the canceling-marker, an intermittently-vibrating roll for clamping the letter onto the vertical belt to force the letter up to the stop, means for vibrating said roll.

Montreal June 22, 1896.

MARTIN VAN BUREN ETIIRIDGE. JOHN BROOKS YOUNG.

In presence of--f HARRISON B. YOUNG,

A. D. CARROLL. 

